The Road to Oblivion
by clarisse.shaina
Summary: Post-Advent Children: Chapter 7- Tifa and Cloud both decide on important decisions, but what effect will it be having in their relationships?
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER:** I love FF7:AC but sadly I don't own it. The story, however, I do.

**Author's Notes:** I thought I'd give this a try. I haven't written in two years so please forgive me for being a bit rusty.

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**PROLOGUE **

_That day at the spring… I saw them. Aerith and Zack… But I remember her smiling face the most… Tifa._ Cloud Strife lay staring at his ceiling, restless and wide-awake. The night had begun to lighten outside, casting shadows through his windows. He gave a sigh and closed his eyes, arms beneath his head. His thoughts drifted back to that day at the spring, her smiling face…

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That day at the spring, he had looked like he was finally at peace. He looked like he wasn't leaving them anymore, leaving _her_. That's all she ever asked, for him to come home. They even took that picture. She was happy to see the family she envisioned finally captured in that single moment of time.

_He'll never love you like that. You can pretend to smile and laugh but inside you are broken. Inside you want to cry out. You want to run away but you have to be happy for everyone else. Yes, go on and carry their burdens on your shoulders. You'll grow old, alone, with no one to care for you. Alone._

She woke with a start. Sweat was trickling down her cheek, her back. Her nightgown was sticking to her skin. She was gasping for air.

_Alone._

She clutched her head. "No… Everything's fine. Everything's back to how it should be," she told herself. She looked up and stared at the cement wall. "He's right on the other side. He's there," she told herself quietly. She closed her eyes for a while and straightened up. Glancing at her bedside, her alarm clock read 2:30AM. It was a little too early for bar preparations, but she no longer felt like sleeping.

She got up from bed and went straight to the bathroom, brushing her teeth and taking a bath. She passed by the rooms of Denzel and Marlene and peered in quietly; grateful for the new hinges she had installed just the other day. They were still fast asleep, Marlene holding fast to her doll, and Denzel looking as brave asleep as he does awake. She smiled to herself and turned toward the stairs. She caught a shadow at the corner of her eye and her reflexes were almost automatic.

She delivered a punch that was caught by a man with light blond hair. "Tifa."

"Oh!" she quickly retracted her arm, "Don't startle me like that!" She snapped, indignant, her energy back to its usual level.

"Sorry," he told her. "What are you doing up?"

"What about you, Cloud? You got home pretty late last night. Go back to bed," she waved him off as she began to descend the stairs.

"Tifa."

"Hmm?" She turned back at him. His eyes were covered by his bangs and the shadows. She couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Since I'm awake, I'll help you prepare the bar," he told her simply.

She gave him one of her smiles, "If you're sure you're up to it. But I don't mind doing it on my own. I'm used to it anyway."

Her words filled him with guilt. _I'm used to doing it _alone _anyway…_

"Tifa."

"What's the matter?" she asked. She didn't think it strange that Cloud hesitated every time he spoke. He had a hard time expressing his problems to anybody. But she always seemed to know what they were, or what to do and to tell him. Or at least she thought. This time, she had no idea what this was about.

Cloud surprised her by going straight down the stairs before her. "I'll help you. Like I should have a long time ago," he whispered to her as he passed.

Tifa was surprised at his words. "Cloud…"

Downstairs, Cloud was tasked with pulling down the upturned chairs that were set on top of the tables and the counter. He was watching Tifa from the corner of his eyes. Her skin was illuminated by the dispersing moonlight, making it look like porcelain, "Like ivory…" he said before he realized he had spoken,

Tifa, who was washing and drying some glasses and bottles, turned to look at him inquiringly, "Hmm? I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

"Nothing. I was just thinking to myself how you managed to take care of everything here on you own," He said, his eyes on his hands as he arranged the chairs. He could feel his ears heating up. _That was close._

Tifa giggled. "Well, I guess I find it fun, too. You never really feel tired when you're having fun, right?" She said as she put back the glasses on the cupboard. "Sometimes, Marlene and Denzel come and help, when they're not busy. They keep me company."

Cloud stopped what he was doing and Tifa immediately sensed his shift in mood.

"Cloud… It's not that I'm saying that to make you feel bad," She quickly told him, and regretted it. "I understand that you wanted to solve your problems on your own." She felt more words piling up to get out. But she stopped and bit her tongue to stop from causing any more damage.

"But you were right. I'm always drifting… I'm sorry to have made any of you worry. I'm sorry I'm too weak that I had to run away. I know I've caused you all much pain."

"No! No, Cloud, don't think about all that now. Everything's fine. You're here_ now_, and that's what matters. Okay?" It felt like she was saying it out loud more to reassure herself.

Cloud turned to look at her. She was tense, with her arms outstretched in his direction. He could sense that something was troubling her despite her words. "Tifa… I won't run away anymore."

He said it like a promise.

Tifa relaxed a little and smiled. _There is still something unsettling in her eyes_, Cloud decided. "That's good, Cloud. Or else the kids will be disappointed."

"I know."

A phone was ringing all of a sudden. It was Cloud's cellphone. "Barrett? What's he doing calling at this hour?" He picked up, "Hello?"

His eyes traveled the room as he listened intently to the man at the other line. After a moment he ended the call.

"What's the matter?" Tifa asked, urgency in her voice, brows furrowed a bit.

"There's an emergency. But I'll be sure to be back before noon. I'm sorry, Tifa. I have to go," he said as he quickly rushed out the door. She stood there in the dark, as his motorcycle sped away and disappeared in the quiet of the dawn.

_Alone._

Again, she heard it. _Stop it! I… I'm not alone! I'm not alone… _

A banging sound was coming from upstairs.

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**Author's Notes: **I honestly don't know where I'm going with this yet so please bear with me...


	2. Chapter One: The Call

**Author's Notes: **My first chapter's shorter than the Prologue? Haha! Anyhow, I don't know if my descriptions are detailed enough to give you the scenario but I hope you'll find it okay. Thanks for the support and encouragement by the way. I'm sorry for misspells, grammos or typos, and thank you for pointing them out. Please keep on! :)

**Disclaimer:** Same old.

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**CHAPTER ONE**

**THE CALL**

Stealth had always been one of her strong points.

Tifa had grabbed one of the Materias from her secret bar drawer, where she had hidden some of the leftovers from her days with AVALANCHE. They weren't the best of the Materia elements but she grabbed one, just in case she needed it. There was no doubt in her mind this was one of those moments. She could feel it in her skin; she could breathe it in the air. Cloud had left just a few minutes ago and whoever or whatever it was upstairs had an excellent sense of timing.

She avoided the creaky steps as she pulled on her gloves, slowly making her way to the top. Furniture was softly being moved inside Marlene's room, and there was something else being scraped gently along the floor. The sounds were minimal but her senses were heightened at this point. She could feel some Materia being unleashed from the other side. She prepared _her_ Materia and turned the knob. She pushed open the door and immediately saw one startled man standing by the window.

He was wearing black jeans paired with a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled up to hide his face. He had sunglasses on as well probably for extra measure. He had pushed Marlene's chair near the window undoubtedly to make his escape easier. He was holding an unconscious and bound Marlene over his shoulders, a foot set on the chair.

"You're not getting out of here alive," she told him, as she rushed over and pulled Marlene free of his grip, giving him a slight kick in the process. Tifa laid Marlene gently on the bed and turned back to the man. As he stood back up, he was fidgeting with something beneath his sweatshirt but her speed gave him no time to act. She gave him a hard punch on the face and kicked him on the stomach. He crashed to the floor, knocking over the chair and Marlene's tiny desk.

The man finally managed to pull his weapon free and fired. Tifa easily dodged the first bullet, careful not to land anywhere near Marlene. This was difficult to do in a small room and so she decided to jump. The man fired a second shot toward the ceiling, which she dodged again. This time she quickly approached and kicked the weapon off his hand while groping for her cellphone in her pocket. The gun bounced off the wall and landed on the floor a small distance away from the man's reach. He dared not move as he saw Tifa's stance before him.

Tifa got ready to deal him another blow when the door adjoining both Denzel and Marlene's room opened. A large, burly man wearing the same black outfit stood with an unconscious Denzel draped over his shoulder. His gun was raised and pointed toward the sleeping child. "Denzel!" she shouted. Tifa was poised in the air when a bullet found its way to her left side. The distraction had worked. It gave the first man an opportunity to grab his gun and fire. The impact made her drop her phone.

She fell down on the floor as the second, more burly man fired another shot. Tifa, focus shattered, barely misses this one, causing it to gash her right arm. Blood was beginning to flow as she clutched her side, her breath contracting. The first man crossed the room on his way to take Marlene. She was standing in front of the window, blocking the way they came in from. She didn't make any sudden movements as both men had her gun pointed at her. They were both walking toward the door that led downstairs. Guns still raised.

The first man was limping a little, but there was no grimace of pain on his face; as though the previous damage Tifa dealt was nothing to him at all. She made to approach him but his companion started firing, breaking the windows, running lines on the walls. She tried her best to dodge them all. They were backing away toward the stairs when Tifa remembered she had Materia stored in her glove. Another bullet flew past near the wound on her left, leaving a sharp trace of pain on her side. The bullet lodged itself on the windowsill. In a voice almost like a gasp, she cast the magic on the intruders, "POISON!!"

She wasn't that strong of a spellcaster and so the effect of the magic did not work on them instantly. In fact, Tifa was afraid that the Poison Materia did not have effect on them at all. They ran down the stairs as Tifa held herself on the floor with her arms, trying to give herself a push. The sun was already almost out; the sky turning light blue and bright. She tried to stand up despite the frantic protests of her wound. She fell back, clutching her side, wincing in pain.

She could hear them downstairs, throwing the tables and chairs around, ransacking her bar. Her rage could only intensify, but her body remained immovable. The slightest movement sets fire to her wounds. She could hear them banging the doors as they made their way out. Her jaw set in determination; she dispelled the pain from her mind and crawled over to the windowpane. With the remaining bits of her will she propped herself against the window. She supported herself by grabbing the window frame and saw the two of them riding motorcycles going westward, the children on their laps, probably still dreaming.

Droplets of blood were scattered all over the floorboards and the pain was starting to become unbearable. She began to feel lightheaded. "No!" she told herself as she tried to reach for her cellphone, lying a few feet away. She launched herself toward her phone and crawled over, the pain intensifying with every motion she made with her body. Her vision was beginning to double, but she knew from touch the keys to _his_ number. She had spent countless times dialing that number before.

The ringing seemed like forever as the pain on her side threatened to overcome her. It was all that occupied her mind. Sweat had begun to trickle down her cheek. He picked up on the sixth ring. "Hello?"

"Cloud…" she managed weakly, his voice offering her some relief, "Marlene… Denzel… taken west. They took… west…" she was barely coherent and words had begun to be a struggle for her to form. On the other line, Cloud was telling her how he couldn't understand her, "Are you okay? What's going on?"

She crawled nearer to the phone in an attempt to make him hear better, "Marlene… Denzel!" she said, frustrated, "West… Kidnapped…" Her mouth was upon the receiver when she gave out a cry of pain, "Hurry… Cloud…" was her final whisper.

Her head hit the wooden floor gently as she lost consciousness. Her hands were still on her side, but not even that could stop the crimson pool beginning to form beneath her body. "Tifa!" said the voice, full of fear and urgency on the other side, "Tifa!"

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**Author's Notes:** Can I just ask someone to remind me how Tifa came to possess the lion ring. I saw her wearing it in Advent Children but for the life of me I can't remember if it was from Cloud and if it is, how he gave it to her. :D Please?

Also, I am so sorry if my Materia usage is erroneous. I can't remember how it is anymore. If anyone would be so kind as to explain it to me, I would be so glad to avoid mistakes in the future. I still don't know where this story is going, but the next chapter is ready in my head. I wrote this to celebrate my day of free cuts from school. Who would have thought _all_ my professors decided_ not_ to hold classes today? :D My first story in 2 years and I write it on a school day. Haha!

Keep the reviews comin'!


	3. Chapter Two: Cloud's Speech

**Author's Notes:** Sorry it took some time. It's been crazy what with my 35-page Research Paper on Consumer Behavior for one of my dumbest majors ever. Okay, so it's not dumb, I just hate my professor. I just finished my reviews for my Financial Management exams, too so there. I'll dedicate the next chapter to the person who can guess my degree. Haha! Anyhow, I still have to do my powerpoint presentation for the aforementioned paper and I'm doing this to take a break. I wrote it quickly so forgive me for errors. :s

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**CHAPTER TWO**

**CLOUD'S SPEECH**

"Damn it, can't this thing go any faster?" Cloud muttered as he kicked the accelerator, willing his motorcycle to go faster. All that he passed were only lines of colors and still he was unsatisfied.

When he got Tifa's call, he immediately turned back to Edge. He was on his way to see Barrett for a matter which apparently required his help, as it turns out, he was the one who needed the favor, "I'm sorry, Barrett. Something's happened."

"What are you talkin' about, Spikey? To the kids? To Tifa?" Barrett had responded, his voice worried.

"Yes, but I don't know what. Tifa was saying something about the kids being kidnapped. I have to go back," Cloud said, "Listen, can you send some people to the west of Edge? It's important."

"I've got some people comin' from that way. I'll have them check the area out. That where the culprits went?" Barrett responded, his voice gruff and edgy. Angry.

"That's what I heard Tifa say. I'm putting it in your hands," Cloud said.

"I'll go get 'em myself, Cloud. Count on that," And with that, he hung up. Cloud trusted his friend's abilities in tracking down these kinds of people, but for them to be able to make Tifa powerless, they surely were not ordinary.

When he rounded the last curb to Seventh Heaven, everything was silent. Several patrons passed by and looked disappointed at the close sign hanging on the front door.

"Is Tifa out?" One of them asked. The others had begun walking on their ways home but stopped to listen.

"Yes. Please go home now," He had responded flatly, his eyes fixed on the door. As the people dispersed, he reached for the door. His heart was racing. It was unlocked. The bar was still dark but as he entered the door, the sunlight radiant behind him, his eyes grew wide. The room reeked of alcohol. Tables were upturned, chairs were scattered all over the floor, most of them missing a leg or two. The glasses and wines Tifa kept on a display case were spilled all over the floor, broken shards and little puddles were all that was left.

He made his way through the destruction, holding his breath, feeling nervous. He peered behind the bar and saw that Tifa was not there. He went up the stairs, which creaked as though crying out in pain. His heart was beating faster. The door to Marlene's room was slightly open, a tiny slant of light pouring out. He gently pushed open the door, all his muscles taut. His foot brushed a bullet.

"T… Tifa!" His chest began to tighten as his breath became fast and shallow. The worst part was seeing all the blood. Her skin was very pale, her lips lost its rosy color. "Tifa, please hold on!" He shouted, as though it could help. He didn't even know if he should touch her. He didn't know what to do. All the blood. It was everywhere. _Tifa._

_Tifa…_

" _I will rescue you, Tifa, whenever you are in danger. I promise I will rescue you."_

Cloud woke with a start. The room was white everywhere and a pot of flowers was set near a window with an open curtain.

"Again," said a voice behind him.

Cloud turned to see the young man with the tattooed face. "Reno?"

"This is the second time I had to save the two of you," he told him smugly, referring to the incident with Loz in Aerith's church, "I mean, what were you thinking when you carried her out? That you were going to tie her to your motorcycle and bring her here? Tssss."

"Thank you," Cloud simply said.

"Huh?" Reno was startled, "That's it?"

"Yes, thank you," Cloud repeated as he turned back to the sleeping woman before him, "Barrett called you?"

"Yeah. And I suppose you'd want to know how she's doing?" Reno said, changing the subject. He didn't like the insinuation that he could be called out by Barrett at a moment's notice, even though that was how Rufus wanted it.

"How is she doing?" Another voice said.

"Ngyay! You scared the hell out of me!" Reno responded the crimson-clad man who suddenly appeared beside him, "Good thing the hospital let you in, looking like a ghost town and all."

Vincent merely eyed Reno as he straightened up.

"Well, how is she?" Cloud asked, looking over his shoulder. He looked worn.

"The doctor said she lost a lot of blood," Reno said, his face falling a bit, "Said it would take a while for her to recover her strength because of the transfusion. They need to keep her hear to keep her wound in check but so far, no major organ damages. It was a through and through, after all," he scratched his head nervously, "It'll take a while before she wakes up."

"I can't believe this happened. I have been gone for only a couple of minutes," Cloud muttered to himself, his hands rolled into a tight fist on his knees.

"Well, it's not your fault. I've never seen the likes of that bullet before either. I'm bringing it back to the boss. We gotta' find out what we're dealing with here," Reno said lightly as he left. Vincent followed him without a word. The door was shut quietly.

Cloud looked over at Tifa. "This is the second time, Tifa. This is the second time I see you lying here in a hospital bed. I remember when we were kids and you fell from that bridge. I thought I would lose you then. But when I tried to save you, you ended up in the hospital with a coma, and I got nothing but scraped knees. I had wished it was me then. And now… This."

He fell quiet as he glanced at her right hand. He saw the ring he had given her before they moved to Edge. The ring with his symbol on it. It was also the symbol of his promise, a promise he had been having trouble keeping.

"I made you a promise before I left. Do you remember?" He asked, as if expecting her to answer. He brushed her hand slightly and sighed. He had so much courage to talk to her when she was unconscious. He knew she couldn't hear him, but in his heart, he felt like he wanted her to hear him, "I wanted to join SOLDIER so that I could be strong enough to protect you. So that I could impress you. Funny isn't it? I know you told me that all my insecurities are untrue. That I _could_ protect you. You even made me promise but… Again, here we are… And I just..."

Cloud bit his lower lip and closed his eyes, willing the tears to stay in. "I have failed you in so many ways, Tifa. You should hate me. But still you keep staying by my side even though I push you away. Even though I keep hurting you. You are my family Tifa, the most important to me in the world. And you've always protected me… from myself. And I'm the one who made you the promise. I'm so sorry, Tifa…" he was whispering now, trying to keep his voice even. He knew he was alone, but he wanted to be strong. For Tifa. She always had a smile on her face for him, despite all that he has done. "You must think me ungrateful. After all, you were the one who was there during my weakest moments. You helped piece together my memories in the Lifestream. You helped me dispel Sephiroth from my mind. I… I don't know what I would be now without all your encouragement and your help."

He couldn't stop it now. He bit on his lips more forcefully until it drew some blood. He bit on them harder until blood began dripping down from his lips. He wiped it off with his hands. "Tifa… I'm so sorry. I…" He laughed despite the tears rolling down his cheeks, "I can only say things when I know you can't hear me. It has been so hard for me to tell you what I've been feeling lately. It's so hard to keep it bottled up inside. It used to be so easy, when we were kids. I used to know what I was feeling, but now… I'm just… So afraid of what you think of me now. I…" He reached over to touch her hand when his cellphone vibrated in his pocket. He wiped off his tears and cleared his voice. "Yeah?"

"Cloud," Barrett's voice was serious, "We got him."

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**Author's Note:** So how was it? I might have switched up Cloud too much, but come on, he's going through a rough patch! Haha! I can't remember specific details from thre original storyline and it would take a long time if I researched it, so I'm going to make my own organizations, antagonists, term and what-nots instead of using the ones from FF7, so I hope that's okay. Anyway, review! Motivate me! :D

Oh! And I'm inviting you to read my other fics. I'm kind of shocked someone faved my Witch Hunter Robin fic recently. Traffic's slow there! :p Gotta go!


	4. Chapter Three: Static

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Holy cow this is a long chapter!

I'm sorry because there are probably loads of errors. I couldn't sit still long enough to proofread. You might not know this but I suffer from an undiagnosed case of ADHD. Haha! Well, it took time for me to think this through but once I sat down, it just flowed and turned into a long one! I wrote this to keep my mind off my grades. They are supposed to be online today and yet they are not!!! ARGH I HATE THIS!

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**CHAPTER THREE  
STATIC**

"Are you absolutely sure you've got the right guy?" Cloud said softly, walking toward the window. His tears were drying, sticking to his cheeks in a curved line.

"Yes. We intercepted him a few miles due west of Edge," he responded gruffly. "Seems a Materia was cast on him. He was lying weak and looking sick on the ground we found him on. I'm guessin' Poison Materia. Probably Tifa's doin'."

"And the children?" Cloud asked eagerly. There was a slight pause on the other end. "Barret?"

"No. The children weren't there."

"Well maybe it's the wrong guy," Cloud ran a hand through his hair, frustration threatening to creep out of his voice.

"There might be an accomplice, Cloud. We wouldn't know for sure anyway, not until Tifa identifies him. But I really think he is one of the kidnappers," Barrett responded with unsure confidence.

"This doesn't help if you got the wrong guy-"

"Cloud, why are you doubting me? You said west, right? Well this is the only guy in the west area for miles and miles away! You didn't think just because I found him with a big ribbon on the ground I told the men to stop searching for others!"

"I didn't mean to insult you, I'm sorry," Cloud tried to calm Barrett down as her rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"If you're really sorry, you'd better get yo' butt down here. We ain't starting the interrogation without you. Maybe you'd like to throw in a punch or two."

When Cloud didn't respond, Barrett proceeded to ask how Tifa was.

"The doctors say she's stable. But she won't be waking up soon," Cloud let a soft sigh escape from his lips.

"I understand this is hard, Cloud. We'll get to the bottom of this. My daughter was taken away. I intend to get her back," Barrett's tone had a ring of finality to it, Cloud wished he could be as determined as that. He glanced over his shoulder at the sleeping girl. The machines hooked up to her were the only things making a sound in the room. His breathing stopped. From where he stood, it seemed Tifa was not moving, not even breathing at all. She was so still…

He snapped his head back to the window and stared out, willing the thoughts to vanish, "Where are you?" His voice was firmer now.

"I'm in the Shinra warehouse near the woods. You'll see it when you ride past the junkyard and the garage south of Edge," Barrett answered casually.

"Shinra?" Cloud was a bit surprised, "But I thought-"

"Look, now's not the time to discuss business arrangements. Get your butt down here. The guy's starting to come to."

"Wait. I can't leave Tifa alone."

"No problem. I already sent Yuffie. She'll be there in a few minutes," Barrett answered. Cloud heard a voice shouting a distance behind Barrett, calling out his name, "I gotta go. It's showtime."

Cloud hung up as soon as he heard the line go dead on the other side. He turned toward Tifa and walked purposefully toward her.

"Tifa, " he whispered as he brushed tendrils of her hair from her face, "I hope you wake up soon."

"Is this a bad moment?" Yuffie said playfully from the door.

"Yuffie," Cloud said, thinking of something to say to her after she's caught him in a soft moment, completely off guard. He never noticed her presence until she spoke.

"Don't worry, Cloudie! I've always known you were a softie!" She said with a laugh, "Would you tell Vincent I'm in town? I miss him!"

Yuffie went toward him and started pushing him out the door. "Okay, I will..?" Cloud told her as he let her lead him out. He turned to look into the room and at Yuffie one last time.

"Thanks! And don't worry. I'll call you when there are any developments!" Her cheerful face turned serious for a moment, a solemn look in her eyes, "Don't worry, Cloud. Tifa is a strong person. We should believe that she'll wake up soon." As soon as she said it, Yuffie's mood changed back into her usual cheery disposition. She waved him away and shut the door as silently as she had opened it.

When Cloud arrived, several military cars and trucks with the WRO logo were parked around the warehouse. He glanced up at the warehouse doors and undoubtedly there was the Shinra company logo. _They are probably using this place without permission_, Cloud thought as he parked his motorcycle beside the other ordinary-looking ones.

There was a black motorcycle disassembled near one of the bigger military trucks. No one was outside so he proceeded to the small door, which was left slightly opened. There was a ruckus inside as men sat around checking weapons and smoking cigarettes. Some were drinking beer and laughing out loud at a joke another told. They sat on barrels and wooden boxed, which they also propped up against a wooden board to serve as their card table.

One of the men looked up from his hand to acknowledge him. He swiveled his head to the left to signal that was where Cloud was supposed to go. He then turned his attention back to the game, scratching his eyebrows, concentrating on his next move.

Cloud walked over to the direction the soldier had pointed out to him. It wasn't hard finding the room where the interrogation was apparently beginning without him. Voices from the inside were harsh, although the speech wasn't clear to Cloud. He knocked three times before opening the door.

"And you look at me when I'm talking to you, you good for nothin' sonofabtich!" Cid was saying as Cloud entered. He turned toward the newcomer, "Took you long enough!"

Cloud acknowledged everyone in the room with a slight nod of his head. Barrett, Cid and Rude were all standing inside the tiny white room, decorated in interrogation room fashion, with one hanging light above a table. Except instead of the suspect being questioned sitting across a table, he was cuffed to the wall as though in crucifixion. Reno was the only one sitting on the table with his face cupped in his hand.

Barrett crossed his arms. "We've been here a couple o' minutes. He ain't talkin'. Cid's called him everything in the book, and still he ain't talkin'"

"It's getting boring, this whole thing," Reno said, putting his arms behind his head and rocking his chair.

Cloud took one look at the prisoner, a large burly man with tattered black clothes. His motorcycle was probably the one dissected outside. He noticed the gun laid out on the table before Reno, along with a large pocketknife and sunglasses broken into two. Cloud strode briskly toward the prisoner and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, a snarl on his lips.

Everyone was taken aback by his violent reaction, "Yo, Cloud! What are you doin'?"

"Where are they?!" He shouted above everyone else. His voice was firm and loud, his eyes were murderous. "Where are the kids?"

The prisoner looked up at him, recognition lighted up his eyes. He took in Cloud's garb and noticed the lion perched on his chest. "Y… You!"

"Well that's the first word this asshole's said all day!" Cid said as he lighted a cigarette.

Cloud pushed the man and placed his forearm at his neck. "Do you have any idea what you did? You… You shot her! You nearly killed her!" Cloud said in a silent, cold rage.

"Hey, Cloud! Take it easy!" Reno said as he got up from his seat.

"Cloud Strife," the burly man said with a smirk, "I recognize you from the picture."

"What?!" He pushed his forearm roughly toward the man's throat.

"Don't strangle him until we get information from him!" Barrett tried prying Cloud's arm away but he held it fast.

"This bastard tried to kill Tifa! He kidnapped the kids! He's trying to destroy my family!" Cloud said in a fit of rage.

"Well this won't give us answers," Barrett said calmly. He tried prying Cloud's arm away and this time he was able to. Cloud seemed to see reason with what was said.

"You. Talk. Now," Cid said as he puffed smoke on to the man's face.

"Yeah. I'll talk," He said mockingly, "That woman of yours with the angel-face- Tifa, was it? Yeah. She was definitely something. She could throw a punch, that girl. And those legs of hers…" he whistled, "Oh yeah, I'd love to-"

Cloud threw the punch before anybody saw it coming. The man's cheek retained the shape of Cloud's knuckle, saliva was dripping down his chin with a mix of blood. He spit out a broken tooth.

"You! Never ever talk about her like that!" Cloud's eyes were wide. They have never seen him quite as angry as he is now. "Listen you," He said as he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt again, "You tell me where they are now or I swear-"

"Or what?" the man smiled, a tooth missing from the upper right, "Remember, I'm the only one who knows. You'd better be careful with your temper around me, Strife."

Cloud lifted his knuckles to give another punch but Barrett and Cid were able to restrain him. They peeled him off and sat him down the chair as Reno held it for him. Rude was on the phone, calling someone up. "Tseng. Yeah, we got a situation here," was all he said before he hung up.

Barrett sat on the table, staring straight at the man who at this point had bowed down his head. Saliva was going off from his mouth and running down his shirt. His eyes were wide open.

"Close your mouth, you pig! You disgust me!" Cid said as he threw down his cigarette and stepped on it.

The man opened his mouth to say something when suddenly he began to shake. He trembled until it became a violent shaking.

"This might just be an act," Rude told everyone, alert. But it was apparent when his mouth started to bubble that something really was happening to him.

"Oh great. Now you've done it. What did you do to him?" Reno said aloud to Cloud as he approached the trembling man. "He's having a seizure."

"Good," Cloud said, his fists balled up on the table. "Good. And I hope I really did do it," He was watching the scene with steely eyes.

The man trembled until it appeared he would break off the metal cuffs connecting him to the wall. His head moved up to reveal his eyes rolling into the back of his head, his mouth was bubbling.

"Call the doctor!" Barrett shouted at Rude, who ran out the door in a flurry.

His seizure was dying down when the doctor entered the room. All that was left were several jerks on his leg and his shoulders. His body stopped moving and went limp. His head still perched on his shoulder, looking up to the sky as though asking for mercy. His eyes were white, they had rolled to the back of his head and stayed that way.

The doctor had him laid down on the table as he examined the pulse and shook his head. Cloud stared at the body in front of him, lifeless, unmoving. _So still_…

"Great," Barrett was staying, "We'll have to start from scratch."

"But it's strange though. How could the asshole suddenly just die on us like that? I don't think we or Cloud did anything damaging enough to cause this," Cid answered.

"I'll have the doctors perform an autopsy in one of the Shinra labs," Reno was saying, "We can find out the cause then," Rude was already on the phone as this was being said. He called up Tseng and told him to get doctors on standby.

All the conversation went right through Cloud's head as he sat, staring at the body of the man who a moment ago he wanted to kill himself. But now, as he lay there, so lifeless… _So still_…

Cloud stood up so abruptly that he knocked the chair to the floor. He stared at the wall with eyes unseeing.

"Cloud! What's the matter?" Barrett looked over. When he saw Cloud's expression, worry immediately creased his face, "Cloud? It's not your fault!"

Cloud ran out of the room as Barrett and the others called after him. He got on Fenrir and rode away as fast as he could. He vaguely saw Barrett waving his arms around by the warehouse door. Cid was running to the back of the warehouse, undoubtedly to ride one of his airships to chase after him.

_So still… So still… _

He had images in his head: the man lying with foam on his mouth and chin, lifeless, eyes wide open and white. And Tifa. Lying on the hospital bed. _So still…_

Tears began to sting his eyes. He had forgotten to put on his goggles and convinced himself it was the dust on the road. _That's it Cloud, run away. That's what you do best._

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** I just realized, after doing research, that I misspelled Barret's name this whole time! But since I already began with that spelling, I'll continue on with that spelling! :D

And I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed, added this story to their faves or watchlists. I'm really glad and thankful to you all and I hope you all keep it coming! I'm gunning for 22 reviews before I start the next chapter. Is that too ambitious?

Anyhow, hope you like this chapter. :)


	5. Chapter Four: Resolution

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Hey guys!! How was your Christmas?

I promise you guys I intend to finish this. Slowly but surely. I have actually forgotten my initial storyline so bear with me while I figure it out. In the meantime, this is what I have come up with.

Sorry if it took me some time to write this, but between school and co-curricular activities, I've been pretty swamped! Plus I've been training like crazy because I promised myself I'd beat my race record. LOL.

I hope you all enjoy! Sorry for errors and for the time it took. *Begs for forgiveness.* :)

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**RESOLUTION**

Cloud stepped silently into the Church. A small pond of what remained of the Lightstream glimmered serenely among multicolored flowers. The stained glass, borrowing light from the moon, cast more colors on the ground. Keeping himself in the shadows, he stopped and took a deep breath. It was the smell of flowers, purity and calmness. His senses tingled with every breath he took, his mind filled with images of _her_.

He took one last look around to make sure he was alone and walked silently toward the Lifestream pond. He put his hand into his pocket and drew out a red ribbon. He clutched it tightly in his trembling hands.

"Aerith… Please. Look after them. I… I'm just a coward who can't do anything right. I'm sorry to let you down again," he took a deep breath to steady himself, "Once again I must trouble you… Please watch over them." He let the ribbon fall into the pond and watched as a soft wind carried it to the edge of the Church wall. Entangled among the flowers, the red ribbon seemed to disappear.

He turned his back and walked to the exit, without even a single glance back.

* * *

White. All she could see was an expanse of white, with small swirling lights. She tried to move her arm but her body was as numb as her mind. As her eyes focused on the lights lining the ceiling, a sharp feeling of urgency surged through her.

Denzel. Marlene.

"If he wanted to be found, we damn would have found him already," said a gruff but resigned voice.

"Keep your voice down, Cid!" said a familiar high-pitched voice, "He's gotten really good at hiding. Even my ninja abilities aren't much help. I looked all over town and no one's seen him. What about you, Vincent?"

"I checked as much of the Sleeping Forest as I could," a quiet voice stated in a flat tone, "Nothing."

She kept her eyes to the ceiling, counting the lights that seemed to stare down at her like spider eyes. As to who they were, and whom they were speaking of, there was no doubt in her mind.

"Have you tried the church?" she asked in a hoarse voice that did not seem to belong to her. It sounded detached and broken. She turned her head slightly to face the others in her room.

"Tifa! You're awake," the tiny Ninja bounced over to her side.

"How long was I out?" Tifa asked in a flat voice.

"The doctor predicted you would wake up in a week since you lost a lot of blood, but it took you only three days," Yuffie answered with her usual cheerfulness.

"How long has he been gone?"

The room fell silent.

"Two… And a half days…" Yuffie answered almost inaudibly.

_Like a fugitive he runs. He didn't even bother to make sure I woke up,_ Tifa thought, laughing at the last thought as though it was a joke. A tight feeling began to spread across her chest. She knew this feeling well, disappointment. She turned back to look at the ceiling and continued her probe, "The kids?"

Again the silence. That was enough of an answer.

"Well look at you, all business like. You just woke up from a comma. Relax a little, huh?" Cid said, trying to make light of the situation.

"I need to get out of here and find the kids," Tifa said as she tried to push herself up to a sitting position.

"Barrett is following up a lead. We've searched the forest, too. And every place we can think of but this is the first real lead we've got. Let's wait for him to report back, okay?" Yuffie said as she tried to push Tifa back down, "You still need to rest."

Tifa gently but firmly pushed Yuffie's hands away. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, pulling at the tubes attached to her skin, "I appreciate all the effort you've done in trying to find the children, but it's time I take this into my own hands. After all, those kids are more my responsibility that yours," Tifa said with more hostility than she intended.

"There's no need to speak to us like that! We care about them too!" Yuffie answered back hotly as Vincent put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Do you have any idea where _he_ might have gone?" Vincent asked.

"The Church is all I can think of," Tifa answered as she got to her feet. Her legs wobbled a little but she refused any assistance her three companions were willing to offer. It took her five full steps before her legs began to work regularly. Eyes downcast, she set her hands to her hips as she told them, "I don't think we'll find him in the Church though. He knows we'll be looking for him there."

Yuffie tried to smile as she said, "Well I'm sure he'll be…"

"Fine. I know," Tifa said, her voice emotionless. She looked up at them, a hard glint in her eyes, "That's why I think we should use all our energy to find the children instead. It's pointless to chase a mouse that knows how to hide in nooks and crevices."

"Did you just call Cloud a mouse?" Cid asked, a bit surprised.

"Cloud can take care of himself. It's the children I'm worried about," Tifa answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

"So we just stop searching for him?" Yuffie asked her, "I'm just making sure I heard you right."

"At some point he has to realize that people will get tired of chasing after him every time he pulls a stunt like this. It's his choice if he wants to run away from his friends."

"But Tifa…" Yuffie started.

"I'm not telling you to drive him away if he decides to show up on your doorstep. I'm just saying we should make the children our priority," Tifa said in a tone that seemed like a large period to end the conversation.

Silence permeated the room as Yuffie, Cid and Vincent examined the girl standing before them. Her eyes lucid, lips set in a sure, straight line. Something in her expression was different, it seemed as though an epiphany had finally cleared up her muddled mind.

As Tifa watched the three of them, her expression softened and in an instant she was back into her old self. With a smile, she said, "If one of you would be so kind as to get me a change of clothes..."

Vincent nodded, turned round and left the room.

* * *

After much persuasion, the doctors had allowed Tifa to leave the hospital earlier than protocol permitted. Yuffie had called Barrett secretly, telling him to try to persuade Tifa to give herself some more rest. But once Tifa talked to Barrett, the latter found much sense in her words.

"It's his daughter against his friend. Marlene would take precedence," Vincent had said.

Cid had left for another round in Sierra, although he knew his airship would immediately give away his purpose, like an alarm, sending Cloud back into hiding.

Tifa wore her garb with a sense of purpose. Barrett had told her to visit them in the warehouse so that they could plan where to search next. There was no point in searching the same places her companions had already searched. She did not want to waste any more time.

She went back to Seventh Heaven to grab some Materia and supplies in preparation for her search and saw that it was in such a disastrous state. Dried blood had settled into the floorboards where just three days ago she lied near death, giving the place an acrid rusty smell. She left in a hurry but decided to pass by the Church before heading to the Warehouse.

* * *

The last time she was here had been a happier time. Cloud was out on one of his deliveries, taking Denzel with him for a ride on Fenrir. Marlene, feeling bored, decided she wanted to visit Aerith. Tifa conceded, as she had not visited in a while.

As she made her way down the pews, a feeling of unrest roused within her. She stopped when she reached the pond. She kneeled and ran her fingers on the surface of the water, creating ripples that twinkled in the sunlight.

"Again," she said, "He did it again. You didn't by any chance see him here, did you?" It had become her habit, asking Aerith questions that she knew would remain unanswered. She sighed. As she stood she noticed it.

A red ribbon.

He was here. And it seemed he had said goodbye.

She smiled to herself. _Always he speaks to her, but not to me._

She exited the Church almost in a run. She wanted to be out of there, out of the place she felt she had no business being in. _It belongs to them_.

When she arrived at the Warehouse, she was surprised to see several WRO vehicles and men wearing uniforms walking around, smoking cigarettes, playing cards.

One of the men whistled as another hit his head from behind. One of the guys pointed toward the small door where she was to enter. Rude was the first to greet her. Reno was talking to Barrett but stopped when he saw her.

"Well, well! You look good as new!" Reno said.

"Tifa," Barrett approached her, concern in his eyes, "Are you sure you're up to this?"

"I've never been more sure in my life," she responded. Her voice and her eyes betrayed no doubt.

"That's good then," said a deep voice from behind.

Tifa turned around and was face to face with one of the Turks. Elena was her name. She stood beside a taller Turk who she recalled was called Tseng. But she was sure the voice came from neither one of them.

A tall man stepped forward, his hair combed back to reveal his handsome face. His eyes were intelligent and brooding, his lips were quirked up in a half-smile.

"Rufus Shinra?" Barrett sounded as surprised as Tifa felt.

He smiled at Barrett but his head swiveled slowly, and his eyes rested firmly on Tifa's face. The mischievous half-smile played on his lips, "I have a proposition for you."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Oh my gosh what is that proposition?! Seriously though I still don't know what it is. LOL.

*Rufus Shinra=hottie* 8D


	6. Chapter Five: Gone Are The Good Days

**Author's Note: **Hi everyone! I must say I appreciate all the patience. I do intend to finish this though I may be slow in doing so. =)

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**GONE ARE THE GOOD DAYS**

It took only one full day to rebuild the Seventh Heaven.

Looking at it now, one would not even have thought that just days ago, Tifa laid on the floor bleeding to near death. The builders were instructed to take much care to ensure that Seventh Heaven look the way Tifa liked it. Although the furniture was new- and if looked closely upon, wrought with finer material than the original furniture- the homey feeling was still present. It didn't take long for Tifa's regular customers to come rushing back to the bar once she reopened. A few of her customers had expressed their condolences regarding what had happened to the children and to her, but most simply avoided the topic. Tifa appreciated that.

Wiping the last droplets of water from a newly washed champagne glass, Tifa heaved a silent sigh as she hooked it onto the glass rack above her head. In idle moments like these, she would wonder to herself what she was doing tending the bar rather than helping her friends track down the culprits who kidnapped _her_ children. In idle moments like these, she would try to push back the questions and thoughts concerning a certain blond, spiky-haired boy…

This was why she hated idle moments.

She retrieved the champagne glass from earlier and proceeded to wipe it with much fervor.

"I'm not sure that would make a very nice crystal ball," said a deep voice.

Tifa looked up to see the handsome face of Rufus Shinra, his manner seemingly cool as he took the empty seat on the bar. All his movements were analyzed, making them appear smooth, complementing the man who is charismatic in his crisp white suit and combed back hair. Tifa looked around and found no signs of his bodyguards. He asked for a glass of water.

"Have you heard anything?" he asked silently. Tifa gently placed his glass of water over a paper coaster.

"No," Tifa answered, suddenly business-like, "I've been keeping my ears open but so far my customers are all talking about the same old things."

"Which are?" Rufus asked as he took a sip from his glass.

"The weather. Their lives. Their families. Their children," Tifa grew quiet at this last statement.

Rufus set down his glass and casually looked around the bar. A few people were exiting the establishment, trying their best to avoid his gaze and save their possibly rude commentaries for later. "Are they leaving because of me?" he asked coyly, turning his gaze back on Tifa.

"I'm sure you're aware a lot of people still haven't forgotten about all the past Shinra business. They forgive but don't forget."

"I wonder if they'll love me a little more if they found out I'm the one who paid to get their beloved Seventh Heaven rebuilt," he commented playfully.

"What are you really doing here? And without bodyguards too. That might not be a smart move," Tifa snapped.

"Well I'm not totally helpless," he said showing her the gun hidden beneath his pristine blazer, a smile played upon his lips as he said, "I'm sure you wouldn't let anything happen to me either, seeing as you work for me now."

"Let me remind you, I haven't decided that yet. I'm just keeping my ears open for you as a sign of gratitude for fixing up this place," she replied, slightly incredulous.

Rufus' stiff posture loosened a little as he ran his hand through his neat blond hair. He shifted in his seat and suddenly looked quite tired. There were circles underneath his eyes that Tifa had not noticed before. Or perhaps it was just a trick of the light. Rufus, who has every little thing calculated to the minutest detail, looking vulnerable and fatigued? It made Tifa's heart beat a little faster. She couldn't quite decide if this tiredness was brought on by new arresting developments, or the lack thereof.

"There have been…" he began, straightening up and looking more like the Rufus she was used to, "There have been some irregular activities at the ports. Ships stolen in the middle of the night and later on found in the middle of the sea, empty but still intact."

Tifa did not know what to make of it, "What kind of ships?"

"Mostly cargo ships, but some of them are fishing boats."

"And you think there is some connection to these stolen ships and the kids?" Tifa's heart was now beating faster. She wanted the answer so much to be a 'yes'. Any clue, no matter how small and incomprehensible, was welcome.

"It's possible that they've been using these ships to spirit things... or people… away. This way no one would find traces of them, since these ships belong to someone else."

"How come no one has seen anything then? Aren't the ports usually guarded?"

"This is where the Materia comes in."

Tifa's mind was beginning to comb through all the information she has been hearing the past few days. Most of what she had dismissed as insignificant she now found the need to reassess, "I've been hearing about some sort of fog lately. Some of them are saying it might be unsafe to travel by sea or fish for food until that fog lifts."

"Did they mention anything else?" Rufus asked, a hard glint in his eyes.

Tifa looked down and tried to sift through the clutter that is her thoughts. She absently set her thumb and index finger to her chin. "Something about the fog being unnaturally thick. Oh and I overheard one of my clients say he found his son sleeping inside their boat while he was catching fish to sell in the market. Said it has never happened before and that it was uncharacteristic of him. Have you been to the ports?"

Rufus nodded, "I just came from there earlier today. Mr. Valentine has confirmed he senses magic from Materia."

"They used Mist and Sleep then," Tifa said, urgency rising in her voice, "We should come up with a plan to catch these guys! It's possible they might still be here if the fog is still present."

Rufus betrayed no emotion on his face, he looked into his glass of water, thinking.

"Mr. Shinra." Tifa urged.

"I would like you to stay here and continue with what you are doing," he said when he finally looked up at her.

Tifa was so surprised she almost gaped at him, "If you're planning to catch them, I think I should be present. These kids are my responsibility! I would like to make it my responsibility to bring them back. It's only right for me to be there," she had said this with a bit more vehemence than she intended.

"There is no plan yet to speak of," he answered calmly, holding her gaze, "I will come back to let you know if we figure one out. You will be well-rested by then, enough to partake in the action, yes?" The question sounded more like a reassurance to himself.

"I would like to have a say in the planning too," Tifa replied stubbornly.

Rufus gave a short laugh. Tifa noticed how his eyes wrinkled as he laughed and decided she should be embarrassed. "They did say you were stubborn," he stood up, straightened his suit and turned a charming smile at Tifa, "Don't worry, I will do my best to convince your friends to let you join us. I understand the importance of this matter to you."

His words felt sincere and Tifa found herself relaxing a bit, "Thank you, Mr. Shinra."

He rested his hand dramatically over his heart, "Please," he said, "Call me Rufus," He gave her a small bow and said, "I hope you consider my offer for you to join my Turks. I understand this kind of spy-work may be boring. But then again, you come from an injury. It would be no good if you injure yourself again too soon," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. But was it a hint of concern Tifa had heard in his voice?

She immediately dismissed the thought. Her mind was playing tricks on her because her head injury hasn't fully healed yet. She thought she felt a tiny headache coming on. Tifa bowed back at him to give the appearance of decorum, but did not say any more. He took that as his cue to leave.

The whole room held its breath as Rufus Shinra smoothly made his way to the door. He glanced back at her one last time before silently slipping out, shutting the door firmly behind him. Like a water balloon popping on the ground, the room burst back into animated chatter. Some of the patrons were looking at her from the corners of their eyes, no doubt whispering tales they conjured up in their minds just now. Tifa pretended not to care, or not to even notice the watchful eyes regarding her. Some on them jealous, some of them inquisitive, some of them even disapproving. She wasn't one to be the center of town gossip very often, but she hated every minute that she was.

She snatched Rufus Shinra's glass off the bar counter and left it in the sink to clean itself.


	7. Chapter Six: Strangers

**CHAPTER SIX**

**STRANGERS**

Quite a few shops had been reporting stolen Materias that Tifa was beginning to get disconcerted. It had been two days since Rufus' visit to the Seventh Heaven and she still hasn't gotten the call he promised. She tried to reach Barrett, Yuffie and even Vincent, but so far all she's gotten was voicemail. It seems like they were busy, caught in the middle of all the action. And here she was, cleaning glasses for her customers.

"Tifa!"

It seems awhile since she heard a familiar voice. Yuffie swung herself up into a bar stool as Tifa gave her a mug of her usual.

"I got your voice message but I totally forgot to call you back! Sorry!" She took a sip of her drink, and seemed to be enjoying herself.

"What's up, Yuffie?" Tifa asked seriously.

"I was in town investigating another shop. There's really no doubt in my mind that the people who have been fogging up the docks are also the ones stealing the Materias."

"I agree. By stealing the Materias, not only do they have a large supply, they also cut us off from having it," Tifa said.

Yuffie looked thoughtful, "That's a good point. I have a lot of leftover Materias from our old missions so I hadn't thought about that."

"They're going to be a bit difficult to defeat if they use Materias."

"So far we can't even trace them. Geeez this is such a pain!" Yuffie slumped over, he voice was muffled as she continued, "I know they're going to run out of Materias eventually but are we supposed to just wait for that to happen?"

"I thought a plan was being executed?" Tifa asked, surprised.

Yuffie shook her head, "It's harder than it looks. We're trying to figure out a way to solve this without involving innocent bystanders. But the way it is now…" Yuffie bit her lip.

"What's the matter?" Tifa asked, a feeling of dread building inside her.

"We've been working hard to keep this out of the news but…" Yuffie paused as she looked around. She lowered her voice as Tifa drew nearer to hear, "The children aren't the only ones who have been kidnapped. A few people have gone missing too. As in POOF! Disappeared from the face of the earth."

"All children?" She asked as she recalled what had happened before with the Geostigma-affected children.

Yuffie shook her head, "That's just it. There is no real pattern. People with random ages and jobs just disappeared with a trace."

"Then are we supposed to have been lucky to have seen what their agents look like?"

"I guess it gives us an idea. You'd think guys like that would be easy to track. I've asked around town. No one's seen anybody fitting such descriptions since that guy salivated all over the interrogation room," Yuffie said, trying to poke an olive with her toothpick.

"Maybe they've become more careful," Tifa suggested when her cellphone rang, "This is Tifa Lockhart."

"Miss Lockhart," came the drone of the deep voice from the other end, "This is Rufus Shinra. What time will you be able to close shop and join us for a meeting?"

"Where and what time?" Tifa said immediately.

"7PM tonight, at the Warehouse near the woods. Do you need an escort?" He said, a smile evident in his voice.

"I'm fine, thank you," and she snapped the phone shut and checked her watch. It was 10 minutes to 5PM.

"Was that Shinra?" Yuffie asked.

Tifa nodded, "It seems like we're going to make a move. Finally."

* * *

Cloud had been following the pattern of the stolen Materias. It would have been fruitful if only there _was_ a pattern. The culprits had started with the shop nearest the dock, until they moved to the shops farther and farther away. At least they have an idea which shop will be hit next.

He recalled the day he had gone back to the hospital to visit Tifa. More than a week ago, he was incognito in black-rimmed glasses and a red cap he used to cover his hair. He found out from the front desk that Tifa had checked out earlier than is usual for most patients. He was a bit worried about this but Tifa was one of the strongest people he knew. He left just as the nurse asked for his name, and he went over to Seventh Heaven.

He watched from the trees a short distance away as carpenters began repairing the place. And he watched, as Tifa would sometimes come out to supervise. Something seemed to have changed about her demeanor. She moved more deliberate, calculated movements. 'To hide her sadness', Cloud guessed. Cloud tried to convince himself that he was not the cause of her unhappiness, and then he would leave for he could not bear looking at her anymore. He wanted to go to her, to tell her not to be sad. But for some reason he could not fathom, his feet brought him farther and farther away from her.

He had passed by one evening to see Rufus Shinra pulling up to Seventh Heaven alone in a sleek silver car. He found it unusual for Rufus Shinra to be alone, or that he would come and visit such a place. His instincts were telling him to go inside but for fear of revealing himself, he stayed in the darkness, hidden behind the trees. Rufus Shinra was inside a while before finally stepping out, an annoying half-smile on his lips. Cloud burned with the desire to wipe the smirk of his face.

But that's it. He burned with the desire and yet… He would turn his back and walk away, without doing anything, without even making his intentions known. He was a coward. And Tifa deserved better.

Brushing the thoughts aside, Cloud silently combed through the marketplace's Main Square. It was 5 in the afternoon and people were still out and about in their last minute errands before evening settled. He wore a black cap over his head, his black-rimmed glasses making him look like a visiting scholar, or at least that's what the baker told him when he bought his breakfast danish. He had changed out of his usual black garb into a pair brown pants and a grey hoodie. He thought he looked unrecognizable. The last time he wore clothes like these he was a kid verging on his teenage years.

He rounded a corner, danish in hand, and had instinctively hidden behind a wooden pole when he saw Yuffie exiting a Materia shop on Main Square. 'As expected, Yuffie has predicted that this shop would be hit next. I wonder if they'll send people out to guard this place,' he thought.

He looked around and saw some familiar faces, drinking coffee or reading newspapers in nearby cafes. He had seen some of these men when he visited the Warehouse to interrogate Denzel and Marlene's kidnapper. It seems they are watching the shop undercover. Taking one last look at them, Cloud saw he had caught the eye of one of the undercover guards. He quickly turned around and walked out of sight, realizing he could have been mistaken for a scoundrel in his current garb.

As he was walking back the direction he came, he sighted flowing black hair turning round a corner, toward a less frequented area of the marketplace. He walked as quickly as he could without arousing suspicion. He picked out a nearby alleyway where he could watch her without being seen. Tifa was bent over the ground, looking intently at something. He saw her push off some wooden boxes and exclaim. He realized this was the shop that had most recently been robbed of Materia. While Yuffie was busy with the next possible target, Tifa was investigating the old one.

Tifa was now up on her feet, dialing on her phone. Her face was serious, determined and almost triumphant. Cloud always liked this expression on her, "Yuffie, can you come round here for a second? I found something," she turned her back to him, "A footprint."

She clicked off her phone and bent down to check the ground. 'If Yuffie is coming, she would surely see me here…' Cloud thought. He pushed himself further into the darkness of the alley.

"We missed a footprint?" Yuffie said in a hiss, a bit shocked, as she approached Tifa. "It's a big one," She observed, "Most likely male."

Tifa nodded, "It was half-hidden by these boxes. It was easy to miss. I was lucky."

"You realize this is the first trace of them we've found since we started investigating," Yuffie said, feeling proud of her friend.

"Assuming it is a footprint of one of those men," Tifa shrugged. "I can feel faint traces of Materia remnants, but it's nothing uncommon, seeing as this _is_ a Materia Shop."

"Like Shinra keeps saying, any small type of clue is welcome. I'll call it in," Yuffie said as she walked back to the Main Square.

'Shinra?' Cloud thought, surprised, 'Shinra himself is involved?' He recalled the night he had visited Tifa in the Seventh Heaven. Shinra operates in a shady way, Cloud concluded. The fact that he is involved doesn't explain why he visited Tifa _alone_.

Cloud watched as Tifa continued looking around, moving boxes and checking for any more hidden footprints. She heaved a weary sigh and although she had her back to him, Cloud could see in his mind the downcast eyes Tifa must have right now. The desire to show himself and comfort her came to him again. He stepped out of the shadows silently, trying to compose himself. Suddenly Tifa stood up and turned to his direction. Surprise registered on her face as she was not expecting to find a person standing there. Cloud was stunned and didn't know what to do. He just stood there, unmoving.

"Night is falling," Tifa said, acknowledging his presence. Her eyes had taken a suspicious glint but her voice betrayed her kindness, "It might be best to be on your way home."

He nodded at her and pulled down his cap to further hide his face. Tifa may not have recognizd hom from a distance, but she might if she looked closely. Apparently he wasn't really ready to reveal himself to her yet.

Tifa started walking his way, toward the Main Square, and he began walking toward the opposite end. Cloud felt every muscle in his body tighten. The tension built up in his chest as they brushed against each other. He realized he had been longing to be this close to Tifa since the day he ran away from her. A voice in his head laughed an ironic, bitter laugh. It was laughing at _him_; laughing at the mess that is his mind; at the whole situation he foolishly brought upon himself.

"Tifa," he whispered involuntarily, and realizing this, immediately wanted to take it back. He knew Tifa had a sharp ear.

He heard her whirl around and knew immediately that she had heard him. But he kept walking.

'That's right, Cloud. We've been here before,' mocked his mind, 'Walk away.'

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**Author's Notes:** Here's a conversation going on in my head right now, in case you were curious.

You, "Oh she updated so soon? It's a miracle!"

Me, "I know, right? My senior year in university is about to start. So not looking forward to being a bum after I graduate! D:"

Anywho, I can't believe I turned Cloud into this creepy stalker dude lol. And my keyboard's effed up so I'm sorry if some sort of typo turns up there. Still, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm thinking of sinister things to chuck into this story. Muahahaha!


	8. Chapter Seven: The Runaround

**Author's Prologue:** Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm so glad that even after this was dormant for so long I still get surprise reviews on my e-mail. Thank you, by the way to A Morning Star who taught me a little something about motorcycles. In hindsight I should've researched what it was called. :D

I've been so busy with just about everything: Football, law, foreign languages, editing TV commercials... I have this Strategic Management class which took over my life and made itself an unofficial major subject. My prof is like this guy who likes to play intimidating mind games with people and so I wrote like 70 pages of pure meat for a case study just so I could meet his challenge. The feedback was worth those sleepless nights, especially coming from him! You see, my prof's a nice guy, he just likes belittling undergrads who come from my course and others similar to it. ^.^;

I wrote this story on my 5-hour break in our school Conservatory, because I wanted to rest what was left of my brains from this crazy term I have as a senior. I'm doing my thesis and dissertation next term (A few months from now! And I say term because I belong to a system called TRIMESTRAL...) so I'm probably going to finish this soon. Then again if I don't finish it, our thesis is supposed to be written within a month... (Crazy, I know.) So we'll see. Just rest assured I won't drop this without an ending.

Forgive me if there are some flaws, grammar errors, typo errors, the usual bad stuff. I hope it doesn't take away from the story. (If my earlier readers still even remember the previous chapters, cause I certainly had to reread!) The bad thing about being on hiatus in relation to writing stuff like this is forgetting the twists in the plot. D:

Thanks for taking time to read my rant, I mean, notes. ;D

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**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**THE RUNAROUND**

Here he was again.

He watched the golden liquid swirl as he tilted his wine glass about. It had been exactly two weeks and three days since the search began for the phantoms who kidnapped the children. The same phantoms that stole Materias from shops, leaving only a footprint that lead to a dead end.

He set down his glass and watched the black-haired beauty tend the bar. She had been silent, contemplative, but mostly she had been ignoring his presence as best she can. When he ordered his favorite glass of wine, she had scowled. He remembers the more poisonous looks she used to throw him in the past.

The front door banged and Yuffie bounded in, "Tifa!" she said in between heaves of breath, "We found Cloud! Or… wait… I mean traces! Traces of Cloud."

Rufus looked from one girl to another. Tifa's brows raised but nothing else in her posture had changed. She continued polishing her glass.

"Tifa?" Yuffie asked, suddenly looking unsure of her good news.

Tifa sighed for what seemed like a long time, "I had thought…" she began, selecting her words carefully. She set down the glass, "Truth be told, I care more about the children than anything else."

"Okay… But don't you want to find out at least where he's been all this time?" Yuffie asked, looking worriedly at her friend.

Tifa shrugged, "Not really." She hooked the glass over her head, "He's a big boy."

"Well I'll tell you anyway. Remember that guy you told me about, with the cap?"

"Is this the guy who was near the Materia shop with the footprint?" Rufus Shinra chimed in.

"Yes, that one! Well it seems people have been a bit restless seeing him walking around. No one knows who he is. I repeat," Yuffie put her finger in the air and shook it for emphasis, "NO ONE." She slid into a stool beside Shinra, "So anyway, Vincent followed him around one day and bam! He found the apartment."

"Apartment?" Tifa echoed.

"Yes! He was right under our noses all this time! He rented a cheap apartment in the city square. And I mean really cheap. I almost fainted because of the smell! This apartment is in a really bad state…"

"How did you find out it was him?" Rufus asked, a bit impatiently.

"Okay, okay! I was getting to that part! Geez…" Yuffie tossed her head indignantly, "His stuff was there. His old clothes with the silver lion-head? Stashed under the bed," she made a gesture that looked as if she were inserting something beneath a blanket.

"Well I suppose now he knows you've been there," Tifa said flatly.

"Vincent's there. Just waiting,"

"I don't think he'll go back there. He may be a lot of things, but he's not stupid," Tifa told them, "At least not often."

"Oh, Tif…" Yuffie said in a small voice, "We'll get him to come back…"

"I don't need him to come back! I just want to know if the kids are fine!"

The shrillness with which Tifa said these words surprised even herself. Every face in Seventh Heaven turned to look at her, a sort of sympathy mixed in with some people's drunkedness.

"I'm sorry," Tifa put her head in her hands, "Sometimes I think I'm going crazy. I go upstairs and see those drawings Marlene and Denzel did of our family…" her voice turned smaller, "I feel like such a failure. I can't even look Barrett in the eye. Barrett has made a mistake leaving them to me…"

Rufus put a hand to her shoulder, "You did all you could. They shot you, remember? No on has blamed you for their disappearance, Tifa. You did all you could."

Tifa took a deep breath. She sucked in all the disappointment and the tears, adding up to the tightening feeling to her chest, "I've had enough of this."

"What do you mean?" Rufus asked as he took back his hand.

"This! YOU! I mean, you come in here everyday without any news. I feel like everything's a mind-game with you, and that I will never get answers!" Tifa's feelings of resentment with this blonde man sitting in her bar came back to her in a familiar jolt.

"We've been working on it. I assure you," Rufus raised his hands, in mock surprise and defeat, "But you haven't answered me regarding my offer…"

"This is what it's about isn't it? Either I take your offer and find out the progress on this case, or I don't take your offer and stay in the dark. I hit it right on the nail, didn't I?" Tifa's voice had become low and venomous.

"Perhaps…"

"Damnit! FINE! I take your stupid offer!"

"Now, now. I don't want you to make rash decisions. You realize you would have to leave this…" Rufus waved his hands in the air, "… charming place in someone else's hands. Because you're going to be very busy. You are going to be one of the best Turks I ever had, I'm sure."

"WHAT? Wait a second. Tifa is not a Turk, she's one of us!" Yuffie said, wanting to get into the middle of things.

"I've thought this through. I always knew this was your intention. I always knew you were going to find a way to get what you want. And you act surprised when you find out how so many people hate you. It's too late to change, Shinra. You have been evil all your life. Small acts of kindness cannot mask what you really are."

Tifa threw her towel onto the sink and ducked underneath the counter.

"Hey, where are you going?" Yuffie stood up as Tifa approached the stairs.

"To call for someone to take over while I'm gone. The sooner I find the kids, the sooner I get rid of this… This hateful man!"

Tifa took the first three steps before spinning back round and marching down the stairs. She stood at the bottom, staring intently at Rufus Shinra's direction, "I want a deal."

"I'm listening…" Shinra answered quietly.

"When we solve this case, I will no longer be a part of your stupid army."

Shinra seemed to ponder this, "I'll tell you what. You have the option to leave, but don't write this job out just yet. You may find it is to your… liking."

Tifa's lips drew back in disgust at this man who she hated and yet tolerated for days and days in this place that was her home, "I seriously doubt that."

In the following days, Tifa had seen less and less of her home above Seventh Heaven, the Turks had been working in separate areas, trying to gather more information. Tifa did not wear the pretentious suits that Tseng and the others did. This was her only form of protest. She was convinced that Shinra had blackmailed her to do his bidding.

But in truth, being a Turk has allowed her to have access to all information. It allowed her to find possible angles, develop several theories on the possible motives behind all these kidnappings.

She came across the folder called "The Phantom Cases" quite by accident.

Here was a wealth of information about the missing Materias, complete with the number and kinds of Materias stolen, along with the exact addresses of the Materia shops that were hit.

On another folder called "Profiles" she saw the names of Denzel of Marlene, along with a dozen other names. She clicked one open randomly and recognized the face on the photo as the wife of one of her patrons in Seventh Heaven.

The file had information on her name, her age, the names of her spouse and children, of her work place, and her_ last known sighting_…

This was a list of the people who had disappeared. There wasn't just two, but over a dozen people who were suspected of disappearing by the hands of the "Phantoms". And all this time, Shinra had been keeping this secret from them. The man was intolerable, but this changes things.

Tifa first had the suspicion that this was the same as before, of the kidnappings of children with Geostigma. She had began to fear the worst, that this had another connection to Genova. But looking through the profiles of the missing people, some were old, aged over 50, some were kids coming into their teenage years. There did not seem to be a pattern that she could observe or flesh out.

"I was waiting for you to find those files," Tifa almost jumped out of her skin at the drawling voice. She was too absorbed on the screen to notice Shinra's entrance.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" she turned and asked him.

"It comes with the job," he said with a smirk.

"I said enough with the mind games! What else do I have to know?" Tifa had stood up.

"Everything's there, dear Tifa," Shinra said as Tifa cringed at the word 'dear'. Shinra glanced at his watched, "But first, I think you should have something to eat. Tseng tells me you've been here all morning, and it's almost a quarter to three."

"I don't need you sympathy. A little hunger is a small price to pay for information like this. We have to act on this fast. Have you?" the urgency in Tifa's voice was building up.

"Of course. I've sent some people on the lookout for any rumors of disappearances. In the meantime, I suggest you check the interview files we did for the family members of the victims."

Victims, he had said.

Tifa's face turned pale. That word did not bode well in this room.

"I'll have some food sent up for you. You must not overwork yourself," Rufus said, noting her change in color.

"So you finally decided to show up," Vincent said from the shadows in the hallway.

"I started having pity on you, knowing you had to tolerate the stench waiting for me after all these days," Cloud answered, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"That's enough hiding and seeking Cloud. Things are… changing."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You may think you've been gone a short while, but it's felt like years. People are changing."

"I don't need your puzzles right now, Vincent," Cloud said as he walked passed the red-caped figure in the dark.

"We both know you came here expecting to see me. You need to come back if you know what's good for you."

Cloud clutched the doorknob tightly, "Thanks for the advice but I've been trying to find the kids and I think I've gotten more clues than you all have…"

"That's not what I'm talking about."

Cloud became loss in the silence of his nonexistent neighbors. He was the only one who lived in this godforsaken excuse of an apartment, the hallways grimy with plaster and rain. He thought about his home above Seventh Heaven. It was small and humble, but it had always felt warm. It had always welcomed him.

"Tifa."

"Rufus Shinra is changing things," Vincent said.

"What do you mean?" Cloud's voice was suddenly alarmed. He remembered the visits Shinra paid to the Seventh Heaven, it had turned into a daily thing now. And every day it seemed his smirk got bigger as he exited the place. Every day Cloud felt like he was losing something, little by little, "Shinra is interested in Tifa? Is that what you're seriously telling me?"

"You'd have to come back to find out. This is the last time I will seek you out."

The last words weighed heavily in the air. Cloud knew that Vincent was gone. He turned to his door and kicked it apart, forgetting that just a moment ago he had been holding a doorknob in his hand.

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**Author's Notes: **Saving you from further pains at reading about my rants. As always, read and review! :)


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